DeKALB, IL – Toledo led wire-to-wire on Saturday evening as it notched an 80-69 road victory over Northern Illinois. The victory kept the Rockets (13-8, 5-3 MAC) in a tie for first place in the MAC’s West Division with Central Michigan (15-4, 5-3 MAC).Senior guard Justin Drummond paced the Rockets with a season-high 20 points and was a perfect 12-of-12 from the charity stripe. Also scoring in double figures was senior guard Julius Brown (16 pts.), junior center Nathan Boothe (13 pts.) and sophomore guard Jonathan Williams (11 pts.).Darrell Bowie led NIU with 18 points. He was followed by Aaric Armstead with 154points and Anthony Johnson with 12. (CLICK READ MORE TO CONTINUE . . . )

BUFFALO, NY – Playing in front of the largest crowd at Alumni Arena in over four years, the Buffalo Bulls rolled to an 80-55 win over Kent State Friday at Alumni Arena. The attendance of 5,797 was the largest to see a UB game since December 30, 2010 against #16 BYU.

With the win, the Bulls improved to 8-0 at Alumni Arena as well as 14-6 on the season and 5-3 in MAC play. Kent State, winner of six straight entering Friday’s matchup, fell to 16-6, 6-2 MAC. It remained one-half game in front of second-place Bowling Green and Akron entering Saturday’s action. Buffalo is one game back in the MAC East standings.Kent State scored the first six points of the game, but UB senior Xavier Ford then ignited a 17-2 run over the next six minutes. Ford and sophomore Shannon Evans combined to score the first 12 Buffalo points, and the Bulls never trailed again. Kent State pulled within four at 19-15, but UB answered with 20-5 burst to establish a 39-20 with 3:19 left.(CLICK READ MORE TO CONTINUE . . . )

YPSILANTI, Mich. (EMUEagles.com/MRO Edit) – The Eastern Michigan Eagles led for 39 of the 40 minutes in a dominating 76-40 victory over Ohio University Tuesday night at the Convocation Center. With their Mid-American Conference win, the Eagles improved to 13-7 (2-5 MAC) on the 2014-15 campaign. Ohio fell to 7-11 overall (2-5 MAC). Tuesday’s lopsided victory was EMU’s largest since it cruised to a 104-67 decision over Central Michigan University 18 years ago (Jan. 8, 1997).Behind an impressive defensive display, Eastern held Ohio (7-11, 2-5 MAC) to its lowest point total since March 14, 1985, when the Bobcats fell to Kansas, 49-38, in the NCAA Midwest Regional.Eleven Eagles scored in the onslaught, led by Ravel Lee’s 19 points. Joining him in double figures were Mike Talley (16) and Karrington Ward (12).

Eastern found success on offense, sinking 32-of-64 from the floor. The Eagles' defense, meanwhile, forced 18 Ohio turnovers and converted them into 24 points. EMU also dominated the paint, 44-18, and pushed the ball for a 24-2 advantage in fast break points.Antonio Campbell posted a double-double with 16 points and 11 rebounds to pace the Bobcats in their setback. OU only made 22.8 percent of its shots from the field (13-of-57), including just 2-of-19 from beyond the arc. Ohio made nearly as many free throws as it did field goals, sinking 12-of-17 from the charity stripe.(CLICK READ MORE TO CONTINUE . . . )

BOWLING GREEN, Ohio – The Bowling Green Falcons used a 16-2 run late in the contest post a 56-46 home win over Northern Illinois Tuesday night in the Stroh Center.

BGSU held the Huskies to only 10-of-27 (37 percent) shooting in the second half, including 2-of-8 (25 percent) from behind the three-point line. For their part, the Falcons shot 11-of-24 (45.8 percent) and 6-of-11 (54.5 percent) from long range over the final 20 minutes of play to pull away with the 10-point victory.

With the decision, BGSU moves to 13-5 overall and 5-2 in MAC play with its ninth home win of the season. The 13 wins surpass the Falcons win total of all of last season. Northern Illinois fell to 8-10 overall and 2-5 in the MAC.(CLICK READ MORE TO CONTINUE . . . )

AKRON, Ohio -- Pat Forsythe scored a career-high 17 points, adding five rebounds and two blocked shots as the Akron Zips registered a 59-47 win over Ball State Tuesday at James A. Rhodes Arena. The victory was UA’s 12th straight against BSU.Akron (14-6, 5-2 MAC) struggled to shoot the ball in the first half, connecting on just 33.3 percent (9-of-27), but found its rhythm in the second half. The Zips shot 50.0 percent (14-of-28) from the field over the final 20 minutes.Ball State (7-11, 2-5 MAC) also could not get anything going in the first stanza, shooting 30.8 percent (8-of-26) from the field. The Cardinals connected on 45.5 percent (10-of-22) in the second half.Forsythe’s 17 points led all players. Deji Ibitayo added nine points, three rebounds and two steals. Aaron Jackson came off the bench to score seven points and grab three rebounds.Bo Calhoun led the way for the Cardinals with a double-double (14 points,12 rebounds). Rocco Belcaster chipped in nine points. (CLICK READ MORE TO CONTINUE . . . )

BUFFALO, NY – Behind a defensive performance that forced 18 turnovers, the Buffalo Bulls snapped a two-game losing streak by defeating Western Michigan, 77-71, Tuesday night at Alumni Arena. The win improves the Bulls to 13-6 on the year and 4-3 in MAC play. Western Michigan dropped to 13-7, 4-3 MAC.The Bulls struggled from three-point range in the first half, while Western Michigan hit seven first-half three pointers. However, UB was able to use a stifling defense that forced 10 turnovers during the opening half of play, which prevented Western Michigan from taking any more than a five-point lead. UB on the other hand, led by six points early in the game as a fast break dunk from Xavier Ford gave the Bulls a quick 14-8 lead. Western Michigan took a 30-25 lead on a three pointer from David Brown with 4:35 left. (CLICK READ MORE TO CONTINUE . . . )

By EVAN MEYERKENT, OHIO – The Kent State Golden Flashes used a 19-2 run early in the second half, combined with a stifling defense, to defeat the Central Michigan Chippewas 63-53 Tuesday night at the MAC Center.For Kent State (15-5, 6-1 MAC), it was a sixth consecutive victory after dropping its conference opener to Bowling Green. In addition, the six-game win streak is their longest since a six-game skein from November 17- December 1, 2013.

“A great win for us tonight.” KSU head coach Rob Senderoff said. “They (CMU) are an explosive offensive team. We guarded for 40 minutes. We made just enough plays and (it was) a great job by everybody.”Seniors Devareaux Manley and Kris Brewer paced KSU with 16 points each. Sophomore Jimmy Hall had 15 while pulling down 15 rebounds.Central Michigan (14-4, 4-3 MAC) saw its two-game winning streak come to an end while setting a season low in points scored. The Chippewas were a remarkable 30 points below their seasonal average.(CLICK READ MORE TO CONTINUE . . . )

By MIKE SMITHTOLEDO, Ohio -- Sophomore guard Jonathan Williams led the way with a game-high 18 points, including the tilt’s final five, as the Toledo Rockets pulled out a 70-65 win over visiting Miami Wednesday at Savage Arena.The RedHawks trailed 34-27 at the half and by 10 points twice early in the second period before rallying. A 13-3 run allowed MU to pull even with the hosts at 44-all following three free throws by Willie Moore at 15:05. Senior guard Julius Brown, who went scoreless before intermission, came alive later in the second stanza. Starting midway through the period, Brown accounted for 11-straight Toledo points. When Chris Bryant tallied on a layup to tie things at 57-all, Brown scored the next six points in an 8-0 Rocket burst. Four of Brown’s points came at the line. Overall, he hit 7-of-8 from the stripe on the way to 13 points for the evening. (CLICK READ MORE TO CONTINUE . . . )

The Mid-American Conference has announced its MAC Men’s Basketball Players of the Week. Central Michigan forward John Simons (West) and Ohio forward Maurice Ndour (East) earned honors in their respective divisions.

MAC Men's Basketball West Division Player of the WeekJohn Simons, Central Michigan, ForwardJunior, Cadillac, Mich./CadillacSimons contributed standout performances in leading Central Michigan to two pivotal conference wins, the only MAC West team to go undefeated last week. In the Chippewas' 84-73 victory over then-MAC East leader Buffalo, Simons, the nation's top 3-point shooting forward, helped break down the conference's No. 2-ranked 3-point defensive team, draining five of CMU's 16 total triples. In addition to his 15 points, Simons matched the MAC's top rebounder, UB's Justin Moss, board-for-board, recording nine. In CMU's 65-51 win over Eastern Michigan on Saturday, Simons led the Chippewas with 15 points to go along with 8 rebounds, 3 assists and a block. Simons, who has started all 17 games this season and all 79 of his career, is CMU's top rebounder (6.0 rpg) and is the second leading scorer on the nation's No. 2 offense, averaging 11.3 points per game. He also ranks first in the MAC in 3-point field goal percentage (.489) and is fifth in field goal percentage (.531).MAC Men's Basketball East Division Player of the WeekMaurice Ndour, Ohio, FSr., Mbour, Senegal/Okayama GakugeikanNdour helped the Ohio men's basketball team (7-10, 2-4 MAC) pick up its first two victories of the 2015 Mid-American Conference season last week, leading the Bobcats with averages of 24.0 points, 7.0 rebounds, 2.0 blocks, 8.0 field goals made and 7.0 free throws made as well as a field goal percentage of .640 (16-25) and a free throw percentage of .824 (14-17). He also ranked second on the squad with an average of 1.5 steals and third with an average of 2.0 assists. Behind a last-second dunk and a career-high 31 points from Ndour, Ohio men's basketball team emerged victorious in dramatic fashion against MAC East Division rival Buffalo, 63-61, on Saturday (Jan. 24) at the Convocation Center. In addition to his career-high scoring output, Ndour added six rebounds, three blocks and a steal. He went 10-of-15 from the field and a perfect 10-for-10 from the charity stripe -- a career best. That performance came after he chipped in 17 points and a team-high eight rebounds to go along with three assists, two steals and a block in 33 minutes in an 82-73 win on the road at MAC West foe Ball State on Wednesday (Jan. 21) at Worten Arena. He went 5-of-7 from the field in the second half, totaling 11 points. Ndour is the only player on the team to start all 17 games this season for Ohio, leading the team lead with averages of 16.0 points (sixth in the MAC; 272), 5.5 field goals made (94), 8.4 rebounds (second in the MAC; 143), 2.2 blocks (second in the MAC; 37), 5.8 free throw attempts (98), 4.5 free throws made (77) and 33.6 minutes played (571). He also ranks second on the team with 11.9 field goal attempts (202), 1.1 steals (18) and a .786 free throw percentage (77-98) and ranks third with 1.8 assists per game (30). Ndour leads the team with 17.7 points per game (106), 8.7 rebounds per game (52) and 2.8 blocks per game (17) in conference play while ranking second with 1.2 steals (7) and third with 1.5 assists (9). Ndour reached double figures in points for the ninth game in a row, 12th time in the last 13 games, a team-high 15th time this season and 40th time in his career against Buffalo. He has led the team in scoring on seven occassions in 2014-15. Ndour has either reached or surpassed the 20-point mark four times this season. He has tallied three or more blocks five times this season.(CLICK READ MORE TO SEE OTHER TOP PERFORMERS . . . )

ATHENS, OH – Ohio senior Maurice Ndour capped off a 31-point afternoon by scoring the game-winning basket with one second left as the host Bobcats defeated the Buffalo Bulls, 63-61, Saturday afternoon at the Convocation Center. Ndour’s big day included a 10-for-10 performance at the charity stripe. Ryan Taylor added 12 points and Antonio Campbell led all players with 10 rebounds as Ohio recorded its second straight win after dropping its first four MAC outings.Buffalo (12-6, 3-3 MAC) fell for the second consecutive game – the first time this season that the Bulls have dropped to in a row. Buffalo was led by 11 points each from Justin Moss and Xavier Ford. Junior Raheem Johnson finished with a career-high 10 points, all coming in the second half, before he fouled out of the contest. Wigginton added eight points and tied Moss with seven rebounds, good for team-high honors.Sophomore Shannon Evans added eight points, while Lamonte Bearden finished with seven points and Skeete added six on a pair of three pointers.(CLICK READ MORE TO CONTINUE . . . )

Publisher﻿

Mike Smith saw his first MAC footb﻿a﻿ll action as a nine-year-old while hanging onto the flagpole of a nearby baseball stadium. The view got better after he discovered he could get in free at halftime. Decades later, he can usually be found either on press row or along the sidelines.Mike has won awards for both his stories and pictures during his time in journalism. Combining his own skills with those of other writers and photographers, along with conference and school resources, he constantly works to provide an enjoyable MAC product.

ATTENTION WRITERS!MAC Reporter Online is seeking contributors for coverage at a number of Mid-American Conference schools.Several “levels” of participation are available for writers or photographers. For further information, contact Mike at: mro24mike@gmail.com.